Issue link: https://bluemagazine.uberflip.com/i/25166
Using THE b I u e RATING SYSTEM Define your ideal trip using the following criteria: o = Zero fitness required. You will likely get around by motorized transport. 00 = Active. Some fitness required. Your daily workout is walking to work. Your ra ise your heartrate at the gym once every couple of weeks. 000 = Low adventure. This trip requires being in good physical shape. You exercise regularly, at least once a week, such as running, work· ing out in the gym or practicing yoga. 0000 = High adventure. To enjoy this trip, you must be in excellent physical shape. 00000 = Extreme. You are capable of completing a marathon or major international adventure race. FITNESS: The overall physical fitness level you need to enjoy the trip. COST: How much the trip will cost you on an average per person basis (not including airfare) from point of arrival at trip destination, through the trip. For travel on your own, cost is an estimate of food, lodging and transport at destination. o = 0-$500. You are a freeloader at heart and go to excessive lengths to avoid paying anything for anything. Hopefully you make friends easy. 00 = $500-1,000. Budget adventure. You're willing to sleep in hammock get a few extra weeks of surfing in. 000 = $1,000-5,000. You'd prefer to spend less, but understand that sometimes the more you pay, the richer your experience. 0000 = $5,000-10,000. A good adventure, with top-notch guides and outfitters, does not come cheap. 00000 = You are prepared to spend whatever is necessary for the ultimate global adventure. Even Everest is not beyond your horizon. TIME: Do you like it long and slow or fast and furious? How long is your dream trip (including time to get there and back)? (9 = 1 to 3 days. Fact is, you are a busy person. This is a weekend escape. (9(9 = 1 week. You wonder how far you can go in week, and you're motivated to find out. (9(9@ = 2 to 3 weeks. The standard American vacation. Too short, it's true, but long enough to have a great adventure. @@@@ = 3 weeks to 3 months. You are serious about immersion in your destination, or plan to cover a lot of ground with an established outfitter or guide. @@@@@ = 3 months plus. Why go home at all? This is an around-the-world trip, or a ski-season in Colorado. GEAR: How much do you need for this trip? Many of the outfitters of the trips in this guide provide gear. o = No gear needed. Just show up. 00 = Minimal gear needed. You'll need a basic piece of gear, which you likely already own (b ike and helmet or board and wax). 000 = Basic self-support gear needed. This would include a daylong rock-climbing expedition (shoes, rope, harness, belay device, chalk) . 0000 = A small personal arsenal needed. This would include a weeklong sea kayaking trip in Baja, where few supplies are available. 00000 = You must be a highly technical, self-sufficient unit. TECHNICAL ABILITY: What is your activity· specific knowledge and experience? You may be fit, but do you have the technical sport-specific know·how? ~ = No technical experience required. QH~ = Minimal technical experience required. You have some previous experience with the activity. Maybe you've climbed once at your local climbing gym, or been trekking, but never technically climbed a mountain. ~~~ = Some technical expertise required. You must have done a similar trip before and be able to use the gear with a skilled friend . If you don't know what these words mean, you should n't do a trip of th is level: belay (climb), drop-in (surf), crampon (mountaineer), BCD (d ive), derailleur (bike), haystack (raft), combat roll (kayak). ~~~~ = High technical ability. You own all the technical gear. Climbers lead big-wall climbs. Mountaineers have climbed Mt Rainer. Paddlers have done week-long, unsupported expeditions. Surfers regularly surf double overhead reef breaks. ~~~~~ = Extreme technical experience required! You know who you are.